"Hey sugar, I got a job for ya'." Moxxi greeted as the tall, mysterious assassin approached her counter table and pulled chair aside to take a seat.

He turned sideways, seemingly looking for his fellow vault hunters. Zero pondered if he came here too early, figures that it's still early in the morning. He couldn't blame the others though, as it was a rough mission the previous night. They came across bandits, skags and stalkers on their way to the location of their objective, and it wasn't to their knowledge that the place was full of traps planted by the previous Hyperion engineers when Jack was still alive. While he was lucky to end up with minimal scars along with Salvador and Gaige, the others were badly wounded from the tough task.

Zero once again observed the whole place and noticed that only two crimson raiders is sitting inside the bar, with three set of seats apart from each other. He only grew more confused, since Moxxi's message through his echo device didn't indicate that it is a solo mission.

"Where are the others? Am I too early today? Have they recovered?" Zero asked in his usual haiku form of words, turning to the bar owner with question mark symbol in red light appearing in his visor. Moxxi chuckled at the fact that he doesn't miss a chance to speak in poetic pattern, even in casual conversation.

"This is a solo mission, babe. I need someone quiet and careful, and I know just who to call for." She winked at the assassin, placing a glass in front of him and pouring a Rakk Ale in it. "This one's free if you don't tell the others."

"As long as there's pay. I wonder why it's secret? Must be personal. " The vault hunter casually asked as he watched Moxxi fill the half of his glass. When she was done, Moxxi put back the bottle under the bar table and leaned closer to her company.

"A scamstole my goods. Based on my intel, she was planning to smuggle it on another planet. I need you to bring it back to me." The bartender responded with a serious tone on her voice, as if she was talking about something truly valuable.

"Oh and before you wonder why I called up on you instead of my man, well, he's dead. Please do it as soon as you can, of course there's a reward. And a special service if you want." Moxxi added with her first innuendo of the day. Zero ignored her flirtatious statement, as he got used to it already to the point that sometimes it just makes the assassin roll his eyes and shake his head.

"I am prepared now. Tell me the rest of mission. Then I'll go and kill." Zero responded with the same monotone voice, still carrying that mercenary attitude even in the rise of dawn.

"No no no. Don't kill her, yet. I need something else from her. But as for now, my goods are top priority. You need to search for her lab."

"Lab?" The assassin asked, tilting his head to the side.

"She's a former Hyperion scientist who likes to mess around with chemicals, so I expect that she has some sort of lab. The goods I'm talking about was wrapped in purple boxes when I saw it last. I'll mark the location in your echo device." Moxxi said as she picked up her echo device and began tinkering with it. "You're probably confused but I'll tell you the rest during your mission. It's an urgent matter and I need it done before she gets out of Pandora with something I own."

Zero pulled out his own echo and a few seconds later, a pinpoint mark appeared in his map. Moxxi then handed a crumpled image. Zero took it with his right, four digits hand and stared down at it to study her features. An upturned, gray eyes devoid of any emotions stares back at him through the picture. She has a button shape nose and a heart shaped face with side-swept fringe covering her forehead. Her raven hair flows past her chest area, and in her plump lips she's wearing a nonchalant seemingly forced smile. She's dressed in a office dress shirt with the first button undone, exposing a part of her prominent collarbone.

Being the hitman that he was before becoming a vault hunter, remembering a target's detailed appearance has become one of his expertise.

"That's her, name's Red. Bring her alive too, if you can." Moxxi added in which the vault hunter nodded in response. "But if things gone bad... Well, you know what to do. I'd still give you extra rewards if you bring her here though. Off you go now."

"I guess that's my cue. I will now leave for my task. Then come back with goods." Zero replied as he got off the stool chair without touching the free Rakk Ale, slipping the wrinkled image in his pocket. He never consumes alcohol before a mission as he considers it a hindrance in achieving his objective, except that one time at the Holy Spirits where they attacked the Zafords.

Moxxi watched the assassin leave her bar and stared down at the untouched glass of beer, hoping that the quest goes well. She took a deep breath and gobbled down the drink instead to calm her nerves.


Zero found himself setting foot in a dusty topsoil ground within a common lawless town of Pandora, the location that Moxxi had marked in his map. The area is filled with bandits lurking around and a few seemingly normal citizens but with obvious cautiousness in their movements. Piles of trashes, markings of blood and empty shells can be seen scattered everywhere which is considered to be just another day in this planet. One bad stare and the other could easily put a bullet through someone's head without someone batting an eye.

Something's odd about this place, though. He found himself passing by vomiting people, looking hazardously pale. Some were even slumped on their backs against walls, but he simply shrugged it off and considered that these must be the kind of people who drowned themselves in alcohol over one night as there were others who seem normal.

The assassin proceeded to go on his way, and couldn't help but wonder what kind of lab is he looking for. He wasn't even a minute longer in here, but he could already feel a group of marauders eyeing him.

"Are you there yet?" Moxxi's voice came through his echo device, in which he responded.

"Yes."

"Good. To be honest sugar, I'm not even sure if Red's still staying in that place but that's where I met that scumbag." The bartender hissed in annoyance, which shows her grudge over the Hyperion scientist.

"How would I know then? This lab I am looking for, what does it look like?" Zero asked, contemplating whether he needed a clear search all over the town.

"I... Actually have no idea. I just met her in a bar but that's it. Try asking one of the citizens. If it doesn't work, you're free to do it your own way. She's quite known in that town."

There's still lack of context on the matter and the only clue that Zero's got is Red's picture. But since this is a hurried mission, he needs to broaden his details with the only sources that he have in him. Zero attempted to approach the normal looking ones without the bandit mask as he assumed they are the normal ones, but they immediately walk away before he could even speak a word. Knowing that they'd all probably just do the same, he jerked his head to his right side and saw a lazy looking barbecue seller but with a sense of hostility in him, but it doesn't intimidate him one bit.

He walked towards the cart and pulled out Red's picture from his pocket. The barbecue seller momentarily stopped flipping sticks and glared up at him, but didn't say a word. The assassin unfolded the image and showed it to the inimical stranger. He isn't prepared to play the detective role today, but it might lead somewhere and much better than standing idle and guessing.

"I needed to know. Where is she staying in here? Person's name is Red." Zero asked in his robotic voice. The seller didn't say a word and ignored him completely as if he wasn't there, proceeding to roll over sticks of roasted skag parts. Zero was ready to do it his way and was about to pull out his sword until the man finally spoke up.

"What's in it for me, if I tell you where she is?" He gruffly asked.

"Try to offer him something first. It'll save you some time if you stay out of trouble. I'll just pay you when you come back, I promise." Moxxi intervened through the echo, listening intently to the situation.

Negotiating isn't really his thing. Threatening the life out of this man would be so much quicker, but Moxxi is right. He'll just surely waste his time killing bandits once he draws out his sword. Starting a fight as a newcomer in an unknown town is basically asking for mobs to come after the initiator. Zero pulled out three thousand bucks, which is all he have left in him since he used up all the rest in yesterday's fight with loads of ammo and heal from Marcus's and Zed's vending machines. He tried to fit in all the creased bills loosely with his left hand, offering it to the man.

"How does three thousand bucks sound?" Zero asked, losing his haiku pattern in the process.

The vendor scowled at his bid, snatching it away from his hand and holding it up close to Zero's faceplate.

"Three thousand bucks? Are you kidding me?" The man barked at him.

"In that case, I am taking my money back." Zero attempted to take back the paper bills from the vendor's hand, but he immediately pulled it away and refused to give it back.

"I want another three thousand... Wait, make it five this time." The seller chuckled, resting his elbow above the cart with an arrogant stance.

"That's all I have. Take it, or leave it." The assassin responded, growing impatient from the stubborn man who is brave enough to ask for more.

"You wasted my time, it's mine now." The vendor pulled away with a mocking smirk on his face, unaware of the kind of a man he's dealing with.

The assassin stood there idly, staring blankly at the seller who is now back to flipping barbecued skags. He should be the one saying that. Two bruisers began to surround him with shotgun in their hands as he remained standing in his ground.

"Zero? What's happe—Hey! Stop that! Crap. I'll get back on you, somethings happening in the bar." With those words, the bartender's voice disappeared from the line.

He should have known from the start that this wouldn't work without him doing his natural way. The two bruisers began screaming and telling Zero to go away with their barrels pointed at him while the vendor watched chuckling, taking a bite from one of the barbecue sticks he's selling.

"That's it!" The bruiser from the left side screamed, pulling the trigger of his gun.

Right before the bullets hit any part of his body, Zero immediately went into stealth mode to leave his holographic decoy behind. Soon after, the other bruiser followed in firing at his deceptive fake self. However, the shots only went through thin air. The assassin's decoy remained standing without flinching away, which made the bandits confused. The vendor and two bruisers exchanged puzzled gazes with each other.

"You idiots! That's a vault hunter!" A distant man's voice screamed from behind.

Before anyone could say another word, both of the bruisers' arms still carrying the guns were sliced in half. The two bandits screamed in pain and fell on their knees with their amputated arms bleeding everywhere. The vendor dropped his skag stick on the ground and immediately searched for the gun in his pocket but before he could get hold of the grip, the decoy in front of his stand vanished and a sword was drawn across his neck from behind.

"I am giving you, another chance to tell me, where is the lady?" Zero threatened with an ominous change in his tone of voice.

"Like hell I'll tell you where she is! I don't even know that bitch."

The vendor struggled from the vault hunter's grip and still attempted to pull out his gun despite the disadvantage he has in his current state. Typical bandit move, Zero thought to himself before grabbing the vendor by the shoulder and throwing him against a wall. The bandit landed with a loud thud on the surface, causing him to lose grasp of his pistol. The assassin positioned himself with the blade of his sword locking target to the vendor until someone intervened.

"Please! S-Stop it, vault hunter!" A stuttering man intervened. Zero put down his weapon and turned around to see a crouching fat and short man catching for his breath.

"Perhaps you know then. The woman I'm searching for. Maybe you can help?"

"L-Let me see the picture. Just please stop wreaking havoc in my town." The man responded as he slowly regained his air, wiping off sweat drops from his forehead.

"Your town? What, you're mayor now or some shit?" The vendor chuckled in a gravel voice.

"Look man, I'm trying to save you and keeping things civilized." He responded in fear despite trying to get the upper hand of the situation. "Where's the picture, vault hunter?"

"I don't need no saving!" The bandit yapped back while holding his sides.

Zero gave the vendor another glance before proceeding to show the image to a non-bandit citizen. He squinted his eyes at the crumpled piece of glossy paper, trying to get a better look at it. As soon as the assassin's back was facing the vendor, the bandit immediately reached out for his tossed pistol in his right side.

"I-I know her." The man responded, looking back up at the towering man above him. He didn't know whether to be scared or amused at the very sight of a vault hunter who helped to take Handsome Jack down.

"This is Pandora, dumbass!" The bandit once again exclaimed, pointing his gun first at Zero, then switching it to the local civilian as he pulled the trigger.

Zero immediately grabbed the man to push him aside, instantly saving him from being hit with a bullet. Right after he did so, the assassin grabbed a handful of kunai and threw it all together towards the vendor. A single piece projected exactly at the bandit's right hand, causing for his gun to slip away from his grip once again. The blade pierced his palm through the metal wall behind him, along with his other body parts now covered in kunai. Blood began spurting out of his mouth as he screamed in excruciating pain.

The civilian stood pale, still feeling unnerved at the sight of someone dying in a brutal manner despite witnessing one every single day. He gulped and swallowed a lump in his throat, trying to keep his cool. His fear have elevated his amusement towards Zero, but he tried to keep in his mind that people should owe the vault hunters one for saving them from a megalomaniac CEO who has a twisted way of changing this planet.

"I-I-I... Um... H-His body..." The civilian blurted out. "...Would leave such a mess." He finished off his sentence with his voice slowly fainting. "But thank you."

"Where were we?" Zero turned back, which caused the non-bandit to flinch in reflex.

"Right um... Well, sorry to break it to you but she moved out a few days ago. T-There's a rumor spreading around that she's a former H-Hyperion employee. I tried to ask her where she's residing to but she didn't give any specifics." The frantic civilian responded.

"What did she say?"

"She o-only told me 'somewhere in a city'. I-I hope that helps."

Zero mused for a moment, until he made a connection with the fact that she's indeed a Hyperion and the word city.

"Opportunity." He simply said, putting the two pieces of puzzle together.

"What?" The stranger asked, pretending to ignore the screaming bruisers crawling their way out and the sight of a bleeding man behind the assassin. Internally, he's freaking a hell lot.

"May I ask something? I need to know where she lived. I have a mission."

"Look for a bar called E-Eridium Barrel Pub, her house is ju-just two blocks away from it. Lucky for you i-it's not yet occupied. Just go straight ahead within this area, you should see it on your right side. The house is rather, um, strikingly red painted including the door."

"Does she have a lab?" Zero added.

"I-I have no idea. I've only seen her walk in and out of her house and the bar."

As much as he wanted to interrogate the assassin, the horrible sight and sounds of men in agony was holding him back from asking further questions.

"Thank you." Zero responded, a smiling emoticon projecting in his blood soaked faceplate before walking away. It only adds to the sinister of his being, which just shows how much the nature of the dwellers in this planet have become desensitized with violence.

"By the way, you can take the money I gave to that bandit. It's three thousand bucks. I hope that's enough." Zero said lastly, before leaving the civilian stunned in his position.


This time, Zero reached the house with no trouble at all. Word seems to travel fast around here as he gained more attention than before after finishing off one bandit and slicing off two bruisers' arms. Non-bandit locals were giving him an eye as he passed by, but he paid no attention because he already wasted enough time. A part of him can't help but wonder why wasn't he attacked by mobs. Maybe this time, the remaining alive bandits decided to listen to the helpful civilian after what he did to the vendor and the bruisers.

The stranger was right, her house lives up to her name and it is easily distinguishable from the rest of houses around here. It's probably due to her liquor business, which gets him the idea of the goods that Moxxi was talking about all this time.

Zero pushed the door open with a pistol in his hands, preparing for whatever possible hindrance he's going to face this time. However, he found himself practically walking in a completely deserted house as if no one had lived here before. No leftovers of any kind, empty shelves, and a couple of furniture. There is a single cabinet and he immediately searched all of it, but as expected it is as empty as the house. There are two doors in each side of the living room. Zero checked the left one first, only to find out that it is just a bathroom. But the cleanest one he'd probably seen in Pandora. He searched all over the walls using his gloved hands, hoping to find a hidden button of some sort but there was nothing. He then proceeded to go to the second door, which is the bedroom. Again, there was nothing except the essential furniture. Zero repeated the same sequence of search he did at the bathroom, only to end up with nothing once again.

He went back to the lounge and tried to contact Moxxi while still observing the house at the same time, but she wasn't responding. Despite the small portion of this house, it looks wide alone because of how neat it is. Even the windows and spaces between walls were scrubbed off the surface. His eyes travelled from side to side, to the floor and above him just admiring the rare spotlessness of this particular place.

After another unsuccessful trial to contact Moxxi, Zero finally called it to go out on his way to the Opportunity.

Zero pumped the gas down The Highlands, finding himself nearing to the unfinished Hyperion city. A few moments later, Moxxi's voice came back on line through his echo device.

"What happened? Did you find it?" She asked worriedly. "Sorry about earlier. A fight broke out in my bar."

"She's no longer there. Red moved to another place. Opportunity." Zero replied while keeping an eye on the road, avoiding thresher and stalker encounters.

"What about her lab? T-The goods?" Moxxi stuttered with a little hope that the assassin have fulfilled the purpose of his mission.

"There isn't a lab room in her house. The local I asked told me that she doesn't go anywhere else except in her place and the bar. I think Opportunity have the answer."

"Damn it." Moxxi cursed, almost sounding disappointed from the result. "Well, I think it's time to tell you a little more about this mission." The bartender said in an exhausted tone of voice, starting her own narrative.

"I met Red a few months ago on a bar when I heard her liquor business going well in her town. She bluntly told me that she was a Hyperion scientist but I trusted her anyway. She was nice and we negotiated well. So I gave her a recipe that my cousin gave me many years ago, hoping that she'll regulate it along with her knowledge in alcohol. Not only that, I brought her my delicate samples and she promised that she'll do her best to produce the perfect product. I paid her money, eridium, guns, you name it... Then one day, I got a news from her town that she moved out, leaving nothing behind. Should have never trusted a Hyperion in the first place."

"So this good that I'm after, is a kind of liquor?" Zero asked curiously as he doesn't really have any idea what he was specifically looking for until she told the story.

"Err... Well, a different kind that you wouldn't want to taste nor smell at all. It's an aphrodisiac." Moxxi choked on her words, as she wasn't even in the mood right now to even speak in innuendos after the trouble in her place, plus the stress that Zero might not catch up on Red.

"What's an aphrodisiac?" Zero asked naively, not having an ounce of idea about this thing that the bartender is talking about.

"It's a kind of substance that heightens sexual desire. My friend's recipe was too strong so I couldn't add it on my regulars yet. I thought that Red would be able to fix that problem for me. By the way, don't let that thing touch you in any way. It has rather aggressive effects and before you know it, well... You'll start feeling strong desires." Moxxi warned.

"I am a man of senses, I wouldn't let such crude thing hinder my task." He responded confidently, certain that he's in full control of his body no matter what happens.

"That's why I hired you, but we still can't say for sure. And before I say goodbye cause these customers of mine seems to be tensing up again, please be careful with the aphrodisiac. They're stored in test tubes. This drug is easy to tell apart from the rest of other chemicals. It's pink like a muff with glitter glow in it." Moxxi described while trying to keep attention in her club simultaneously.

"Muff?" The assassin asked again cluelessly.

"Ugh, did I went too far? I should never attempt speaking in innuendos again while I'm stressed." The bartender from the other line muttered to herself, but loud enough for Zero to hear it all. "Anyways I really got to go. Good luck on the mission." With that last line, Moxxi hang up.

Zero's main focus was back on the road. As he arrived at the bridge leading to the city, he accelerated the bandit technical in full speed.